A coaxial cable is prepared for connection to another cable, or to another RF device, by a coaxial cable connector. Preparation typically requires the use of several specialized tools including a stripping tool and a compression tool. The stripping tool removes a portion of the compliant outer jacket to expose a signal-carrying inner conductor and an outer grounding, or braided, conductor of the cable. The compression tool, on the other hand, inserts a grounding/retention post into the prepared end of the cable to effect an electrical and mechanical connection between the cable and an outer body or housing of the cable connector.
The step of compressing/inserting the grounding/retention post into the prepared end of the coaxial cable also requires a holding fixture to align the prepared end of the cable while a driver compresses a barbed annular sleeve of the grounding/retention post into/beneath the outer jacket of the cable. As such, the outer jacket may be compressed between the barbed annular sleeve and a fixed-diameter outer housing of the cable connector. Compression of the outer jacket causes the barbed annular sleeve to engage the braided conductor of the cable, thereby retaining the grounding/retention post of the connector to the coaxial cable.